States seek wiggle room on Obamacare deadline

“You have to allow plans to reset, think about premiums and have a structured process,” he said.

Any tangible spike this year would damage Democratic candidates who supported the law and are up for re-election in November, as Republicans have made it clear they will wield Obamacare’s troubles as a truncheon during the mid-term contests.

The law’s stumbles are even causing intraparty problems in Maryland, where Democratic candidates to succeed Gov. Martin O’Malley are sparring over the state’s glitchy exchange website and the governor is trying to stem any bleeding over the coming days.

On Tuesday, it announced a stopgap measure to help — through telephone guidance — anyone who tried to sign up by March 31, but couldn’t complete their application by that date.

Kentucky’s exchange will allow people to apply for coverage by March 31 and pick a plan by April 15, exchange spokeswoman Gwenda Bond said.